Macmillan Cancer Support responds to the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2012/13

30 August 2013

NHS England has today published the results of the third National Cancer Patient Experience Survey. The survey provides insights into the care and treatment experienced by cancer patients in 155 NHS Hospital Trusts across England.

Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, says:

'It is really positive that just about half of NHS Trusts in England have improved the quality of care they give to people with cancer. But if half can improve, it is strange that a third made no improvement and some even provided worse care for cancer patients1.

'Macmillan’s analysis shows that the treatment of hospital staff is intrinsically linked to this. Happy staff means happy patients. Conversely, where staff suffer high levels of discrimination or harassment, cancer patients are up to 18 times more likely to receive poor care2. That is really worrying, and comes down to leadership.

'The good news is the results are proof that the focus on improving care, brought about by an annual survey, is driving up standards. But the survey alone is not the ‘silver bullet’. Each hospital, which means its senior staff, has to implement practical solutions for improving cancer care and staff experience - and NHS England has to hold them to account.'

Notes to Editors:

• 31 Trusts show significant improvement across 10 or more questions over 2012;

• 40 Trusts show smaller improvements, with higher scores on up to 10 questions;

• 50 Trusts have scores on questions as a whole which are "standstill", or close to it, in relation to 2012;

• 31 Trusts show some declining scores from 2012, with most of this group only showing declines on a very small number of questions (up to 4);

• 3 Trusts were unclassifiable for these purposes because of small numbers of cancer patients in the sample and consequently small numbers of respondents.

2 The relationship between cancer patient experience and staff survey results, Picker Institute Europe (30 July 2013). Picker Institute Europe was commissioned by Macmillan Cancer Support to investigate the relationship between the results for the Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) and the NHS Staff Survey. The data were from the 2011 CPES and the 2011 NHS Staff Survey. See here| for the full report.

Trusts where clinical staff report the highest levels of discrimination are up to 18 times more likely to provide cancer patients with a poorer quality experience during their hospital stay compared with trusts with the lowest levels of discrimination.

Compared with trusts in the top 20% for question KF38 on the 2011 NHS Staff Survey (% staff experiencing discrimination at work in last 12 months), trusts in the bottom 20% were 18 times more likely to rank in the bottom 20% for question 46 (all staff asked patient what name they preferred to be called by), 16 times more likely to rank in the bottom 20% for question 70 (patient’s rating of care `excellent`/ `very good`) and 9 times more likely to rank in the bottom 20% for questions 38 and 49 (Doctors did not talk in front of patient as if they were not there; Patient was able to discuss worries or fears with staff during visit). See here| for the calculations.

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Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ.